''A Burglar's Mistake'' is a 1909 American silent short

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

. The film was released on March 25, 1909 by

Biograph Company The Biograph Company, also known as the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, was a motion picture company founded in 1895 and active until 1916. It was the first company in the United States devoted entirely to Filmmaking, film production an ...

and was met with liked viewers. The film is presumed lost.

Cast

Harry Solter Henry Lewis Solter (November 19, 1873 – March 2, 1920) was an American silent film actor and director. Career Solter began his career as an actor in 1908 with Biograph Studios. That same year he met actress Florence Lawrence while maki ...

as Henry Newman *

Charles Inslee Charles Edwin Inslee (January 6, 1870 – September 17, 1922) was an American actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1908 and 1921. Biography Born in New York City, Inslee was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Inslee ...

as Dick Folsom *

Marion Leonard Marion Leonard (June 9, 1881 – January 9, 1956) was an American stage actress who became one of the first motion picture celebrities in the early years of the silent film era. Early career Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Marion Leonard began her a ...

as Mrs. Newman *

Adele DeGarde Adele DeGarde (born Adelaide De Gard, also credited Adele De Garde; May 3, 1899 – November 1972) was an American silent film actress, who performed in at least 114 productions between 1908 and 1918. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she initi ...

as One of the Children *

Robert Harron Robert Emmett Harron (April 12, 1893 – September 5, 1920) was an American motion picture actor of the early silent film era. Although he acted in over 200 films, he is possibly best recalled for his roles in the D.W. Griffith directed fil ...

as The Messenger *

Raymond Hatton Raymond William Hatton (July 7, 1887 – October 21, 1971) was an American film actor who appeared in almost 500 motion pictures. Biography Hatton was born in Red Oak, Iowa. His physician father steered him toward a career in medicine. Howe ...

as At Folsom's / Secretary (unconfirmed) * Arthur V. Johnson as Policeman *

David Miles David Kenneth Miles (born 1959) is a British economist. Born in Swansea, he has spent his working life in London, in teaching, business and the public sector. He is a professor at Imperial College London, and head of economic analysis at the ...

as At Folsom's *

Owen Moore Owen Moore (12 December 1886 – 9 June 1939) was an Irish people, Irish-born American actor, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937. Early life and career Moore was born in Fordstown Crossroads, County Meath, Ireland. A ...

as At Folsom's *

Herbert Prior Herbert Prior (2 July 1867 – 3 October 1954) was an English silent film actor. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1908 and 1934. He was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, and died in Los Angeles, California. Prior was married to actress ...

as Policeman *

Gertrude Robinson ''For the composer, see Gertrude Ina Robinson.'' Gertrude Robinson (October 7, 1890 – March 19, 1962) was an American actress of the silent film, silent era. Biography She appeared in 164 films between 1908 and 1925. She was born in New ...

as One of the Children *

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American producer, director, actor, and studio head who was known as the "King of Comedy" during his career. Born in Danville, Quebec, he started acting i ...

as At Folsom's / Policeman * Dorothy West as One of the Children

Reception

The film played alongside D. W. Griffith's 1909 film, Trying to Get Arrested at the Royal Theater in

Bisbee, Arizona Bisbee is a city in and the county seat of Cochise County, Arizona, Cochise County in southeastern Arizona, United States. It is southeast of Tucson, Arizona, Tucson and north of the Mexican border. According to the 2020 United States census, ...

where it was praised in the local newspaper by the Royal's owner, who stated it was "one of the most intense drama's ever staged."

References

External links

* * * 1909 films 1909 drama films 1909 lost films 1909 short films 1900s American films 1900s English-language films American black-and-white films Biograph Company films English-language drama short films Lost American drama films Lost drama short films Short films directed by D. W. Griffith Silent American drama short films Lost silent American films {{1900s-US-film-stub